Vancouver Wedding Photographers - Pelaez Photography Blog

Vintage Grouse Mountain Wedding: Robert+Fareedah Just Married!

noreply@blogger.com (Pelaez Photography) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 04:50:00 +0000

When Fareedah and Robert met with us and mentioned that their wedding was going to be in June, Fareedah said that she is convinced that it is going to be a beautiful day. And truly, the weeks leading up to June 13 have indeed been uncharacteristically gorgeous and sunny for Vancouver. The week before the 13th, however, forecasted some rain. I remember Fareedah, Robert and I sitting at Caffe Artigiano poring over the different weather apps we had on or iPhone to check, nay triple-check, what it's going to be like. Although we did have a scare that we were going to be rained out, it was all for naught for, as Fareedah confidently forecasted, it turned out to be a beautiful day!

Besides the weather, a lot has excited us about this wedding in the details Fareedah mentioned during the planning - the old hollywood, vintage look she was going for, the wedding at the peak of Vancouver, Grouse Mountain, the souped-up rides she (a Rolls Royce) and Robert (a helicopter) and a chance to work with Fairy Godmother Weddings and Photobooth Vancouver, to name a few.

We started the day in Gastown at Burke & Hair with very talented hairstylists, Kelley Schedewitz and Marty Boechler and makeup artist, Oz Zandiyeh.

Old Hollywood glam needs red, red lips!

Hairspray overload!

Fareedah trying to compose herself after reading a sweet note from Robert!

The dress from Bryan's Bridal.

The girls admiring the beautiful bride.

There's something about this shot that I really like...

Nothing puts a smile on bridesmaids' faces but boxes from Tiffany & Co. Heck, even I had a smile on my face watching and shooting this!

The portraits!

The awesome bridesmaids, Jen and Jill, with their custom hairpieces by Heather Mandin of Parts by Heather.

The wonderful custom hairpiece by Heather Mandin of Parts by Heather.

I love the portrait of Fareedah and mom below.

The Rolls Royce Phantom, picking up our gorgeous bride from the Westin Grand Vancouver.

The gorgeous, fragrant flowers, a labour of love by Fareedah's fabulously creative friend, Cassie Plotnikoff.

Robert getting ready!

The ride at Helijet!

Fareedah walking down the aisle with brother, Abdul.

Fareedah was giddy and giggly throughout the ceremony! We couldn't stop from capturing her many facial expressions throughout!

Some portraits!

Korean performers to celebrate Fareedah's Korean heritage.

Yummy cake by Original Cupcakes!

The guestbook (yay!)

Fun times in the photobooth! The booth was busy as a bee throughout the night!

Robert and Fareedah, thank you so much for making us a part of this great occasion! I hope you enjoyed the Tigh-Na-Mara getaway and the Korea/Japan honeymoon will be awesome!

Details:
Hairpiece/Veil - Heather Mandin of Parts by Heather
Hair - Kelley Schedewitz and Marty Boechler of Burke and Hair
Makeup - Oz Zandiyeh
Dress - Bryan's Bridal
Bridesmaids dresses and Tuxes - Isabelle's Bridal
Cake - Original Cupcakes
Hotel - Westin Grand Vancouver
Venue - The Timber Room at Grouse Mountain
Flowers - Cassie Plotnikoff
Photobooth - Photobooth Vancouver
Officiant - Brent Sheppard (Hey Rev!)
Event Planner - Devon Hird from Fairy Godmother Weddings

Punta Cana Day After Session: Karim+Farrah and Jamil+Shaila

noreply@blogger.com (Pelaez Photography) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 04:24:00 +0000

The morning we left Punta Cana, we did a day-after session with Karim, Farrah, Jamil and Shaila. Here are some of our faves!

Shortly after we started shooting at the beach, storm clouds began moving in on us and we got some heavy downpour that cut our session short. You can see the rain drops in this shot.

In between short breaks in the rain, we would rush out into the beach and take quick shots. I love this candid one of Shaila and Jamil.

Take two... with feelings!

Soon, the rain would not let up anymore which is how we left Punta Cana, in torrential rain!

We headed back to sunny, yes sunny, Vancouver with fond memories of the Dominican Republic and I'm sure more trips to the Caribbean would be in our future!

Punta Cana Destination Wedding: Karim+Farrah and Jamil+Shaila Part 3 of 3

noreply@blogger.com (Pelaez Photography) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 06:19:00 +0000

Despite all the odds, the epic wedding that was Karim+Farrah and Jamil+Shaila turned out to be wonderful occasion. From pandemic outbreak to scheduling chaos to unpredictable Carribean weather to a few minor accidents, these four overcame huge hurdles to produce such an event. After all was said and done, everybody enjoyed themselves, poured their hearts with well wishes and both Karim+Farrah and Jamil+Shaila came out looking unruffled with big smiles that tell you all is well in the world.

What was first set out to be a Mayan Riviera wedding at the Gran Bahia Principe Akumal, the destination wedding was relocated to the equally impressive Gran Bahia Principe Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic just 3 weeks before the wedding. While there was a wedding scheduled almost every day we were at the resort, we found that this double wedding was THE talk of the town. True enough, on the day of the wedding, the beach was jampacked with onlookers who wanted to get a glimpse of THE sisters. Here are some highlights....

I say these two are natural beauties and the makeup just highlighted that!

The lenghas for the reception...

I love how putting on the saree is a special time between mom and bride. It is quite the process, I tell you. But to me, it's more than the act of putting on a piece of clothing. There's a lot of care put into making sure that the length is precise, the number of folds in the pleats is just right, the draping on the shoulder is exact, the tucking and pinning is secure; it's mom making sure her most prized possession looks perfect, absolutely perfect.

Zul, handing over his 2 lovely daughters to 2 upstanding guys.

These exits make me smile!

And these emotional moments make me sigh...

Changing into their lenghas!

So this is the part where the bride and groom are supposed to break a small red clay pot and whoever does it first rules the house. Check out how Karim made sure that HE was going to be the man of the house. It was obviously premeditated and Farrah had no clue...

While Jamil tried to be a gentleman and gave Shaila equal opportunity here, and you can see Shaila's foot sticking out first to get the chance to break the pot:

Unfortunately, a shoe malfunction happened and the pot rolled instead (not obvious in this shot) and as you can see, Jamil won this one!

Time to partay!!!!

Zul's got the moves!

Again, thank you to Karim, Farrah, Jamil and Shaila's family and friends. We truly enjoyed this experience with you. Hope to see you guys again soon!

Nikkah Ceremony at Ismaili Jamatkhana: Karim+Farrah and Jamil+Shaila Part 2 of 3

noreply@blogger.com (Pelaez Photography) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 09:07:00 +0000

To continue the epic double wedding that is Karim-Farrah and Jamil-Shaila, here's part 2 of our 3-part blog post - the intimate wedding ceremony or the Nikkah ceremony at the Ismaili Jamatkhana in Burnaby.

You will notice in the photos below that there is no trace of the gorgeous mehndi from the mandvo in Part 1 of this series. The 4-character explanation: H1N1. A couple of weeks leading up to the entire wedding celebration, our lovely couples and their families scrambled to reschedule the entire wedding celebration after all flights to Mexico were cancelled due to the outbreak. The destination part of the entire wedding celebration had to be rerouted from the Mayan Riviera to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. The change in travel plans also meant changes in the other events which brings us to the Nikkah being rescheduled before the mandvo.

Our couples received nature's blessings in the form of Vancouver rain. We still managed to get wonderful photos, saved by the awesome nooks and crannies at the jamatkhana. Seriously, you can never take a bad photo in this environment. Given the time that we had before the ceremony was to start and the wet weather conditions, I say the photos are not too shabby... not too shabby at all!

How hawt are these two? Sizzling!

We started with Karim and Farrah's ceremony...

Jamil and Shaila's turn!

The rings! The rings!

Up next is Part 3, the celebration continues in Punta Cana! Plus a bonus day-after session... steamy!

Engaged: Ayaz + Debbie in Richmond

noreply@blogger.com (Pelaez Photography) — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 17:29:00 +0000

The day before we left for Punta Cana, we sneaked in Ayaz and Debbie's engagement session. Shooting at high noon is not our favorite time to schedule portraits but we had no other time to do it since these two are currently residing in Edmonton. Regardless, we made the lighting conditions work which I'm sure was actually due to how easy these two move in front of the camera! Check them out!

Welcome back to Vancouver, Debbie and Ayaz! You know you can't keep away from Lotusland! We can't wait for the wedding in July!

Karim + Farrah and Jamil + Shaila Wedding Part 1 of 3 - The Mandvo

noreply@blogger.com (Pelaez Photography) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 22:32:00 +0000

As mentioned in a previous blog post, we have a feeling that 2009 will be an awesome year for us. What better way to start the season but with a multi-day Ismaili celebration of the wedding of the fabulous Jiwa sisters topped with a destination wedding in the Mayan Riviera. While this sounds grand and exciting, we found that great weddings are not made of elaborate decorations, fancy clothes or expensive details, rather it's the couple (or in this case, couples), their families and friends that make the experience truly a remarkable one.

Eversince we met Karim, Farrah, Jamil, Shaila and their family, they never failed to make us feel like we are one of their dearest friends, like family, and it's what made us enjoy this experience tremendously. We hope they enjoy the story we tell from the photos we captured on their special multi-day celebration.

Part 1 of our 3-day celebration is the Mandvo, where the families bestowed gifts to our 2 gorgeous brides, Shaila and Farrah. Before the celebration, the girls had their mehndi applied by the same artist who did the one of our previous bride. As before, the artwork was just stunning!

Then it was off to the banquet hall for the mandvo...

Every member of the groom's family presents a different trousseau for the bride to wear. The bride's mother throws coloured rice, places a sweet in their mouth, accepts the trousseau and gives a small gift in return as a sign of appreciation.

The first of our two brides, Farrah, is escorted by Karim's mom with a veil or a scarf over her head.

This shot was a happy accident. I actually love how it turned out blurred...

Next up was little sister, Shaila, escorted by Jamil's relatives.

Farrah and Shaila's sister, Yashina, walks in with a special pot that's supposed to hold holy water. She gets the coloured rice and sweets from their mom as well but she will not give up the pot until she's happy with the gift given to her in exchange for it. The offer started with US dollar bills. With the ongoing exchange rate, I don't blame her for asking for more...

Now, that's more like it!

Next up, the relatives give the brides sherbet to drink and offer them their well wishes!

Farrah with Karim's mom...

An awesome, awesome speech given by the bride's dad, Zul. Can you imagine giving away 2 of your girls at the same time? Quite emotional, indeed!

Tears and laughter in the same breath!

Love how dad honours mom as well...

Another close-up of the detail in the mehndi. LOVE the colours!

Took quick portraits right in the middle of the action!

Meanwhile, Jamil was having his Peethi in the adjacent room. Looks like they're having too much fun!

More portraits!

The double trouble gang! :)

Stay tuned for Part 2, the Nikah ceremony at the Jamatkhana...

Engaged: Karim + Farrah in Gastown & Coal Harbour

noreply@blogger.com (Pelaez Photography) — Sun, 24 May 2009 20:24:00 +0000

Sorry for the lack of posts but we just got back from Punta Cana, Dominican Republic to cover our very first wedding of 2009! Right now, I'm sitting on 6 shoots that we need to blog and process and 6 loads of laundry that I need to wash.

First up, is the other wonderful couple that make up the other half of the double wedding we just covered this past week and a half - Karim and Farrah. Most of the time, I would be communicating with Karim and Farrah on the phone and over e-mail since these two are based in Toronto. While those conversations have always been great, working with them in person was such a hoot. I think these photos will show you just that!

When Farrah first met Karim, she hadn't intended for a long and serious relationship but by the end of the night, she was already asking him to marry her! And how can Karim refuse?

This photo is SOOOO Karim and Farrah!

We are grateful for getting this opportunity to work with Karim, Farrah, Jamil and Shaila. We definitely had a spectacular time with them AND their friends and family. Stay tuned for more posts about these four!!!

Engaged: Jamil + Shaila in Steveston

noreply@blogger.com (Pelaez Photography) — Tue, 12 May 2009 03:22:00 +0000

When we received the inquiry from Shaila and Jamil, we were excited in so many levels:
1. An Ismaili wedding - this will be our second Ismaili wedding and we're always glad to take on weddings from various cultural backgrounds.
2. Destination wedding - aside from the official ceremony at the Ismaili Jamatkhana in Burnaby, there will be another ceremony and celebration in the Mayan Riviera in Mexico.
3. Double wedding - Shaila did not contact us to just photograph her wedding but to photograph her sister's wedding as well (more on this next time...)!

Needless to say, this would be a great photographic opportunity for us and we are happy to be doing it!

Fast forward to end of April and with less than favourable news regarding travel conditions to Mexico and the wedding celebration set to happen in the Mayan Riviera has be rerouted to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic! After the dust has settled regarding the rerouting and rescheduling of events, we were finally able to set aside some time to photograph Shaila and Jamil for their engagement session. It was a blast! These two are such sweethearts and they were willing to bring it!

Shaila and Jamil, we can't wait to have fun with you and your family on the next 12 days! See you guys again soon!

Engaged: Robert + Fareedah on Granville Island

noreply@blogger.com (Pelaez Photography) — Thu, 07 May 2009 20:26:00 +0000

As expected, Granville Island's been a favorite spot for our engagement sessions. We always have to come up with ways to make our photos look fresh and unique from other sessions we've done on this charming location. And so far, our record of "gray-skies-engagement-sessions- 2009" remain intact.

Robert and Fareedah came to us through a referral via our good friends from Fairy Godmother Weddings. I had a great time during our consultation with them and I passed the test by making Robert break out in smiles during our fun chat! They figured we could get great shots of the groom if we can get him to smile in front of the camera.

Although we did get great photos with Robert smiling, our faves have been with him looking serious... seriously in love! These two plus their cute dog, Rocco, can't take a bad photo. Take a look...

Then it was off to Spanish Banks for windy shots at the beach. Here's one take of their requested jumping shot!

And giving us a preview of their moves for the first dance!

My favorite from the bunch!

Towards the end, we got a hint of the sunlight Fareedah is confident will be there on her wedding day. We're not doubting it would.

We're pretty excited about this wedding up at Grouse Mountain this June! Can't say more until we blog about it but it's going to be awesome!

Dream Dress Event Vancouver

noreply@blogger.com (Pelaez Photography) — Mon, 04 May 2009 02:59:00 +0000

Our wedding season is going to kick off in a couple of weeks. We're looking forward to seeing THE dress that our brides have surely invested on. Even more than a financial investment, I would expect that there's an emotional quotient in the process of deciding the dress.

If you're still looking for your wedding dress, we're happy to let you know that there's a worthy event that you can participate in where 25 new wedding gowns to be auctioned off for charity.

Read on for more...

In honour of Cinderella Project’s 10th Anniversary, the Dream Dress Auction came into light with the gracious donation of 25 new wedding gowns. These beautiful gowns range in size from petite to plus (4 -16) and will be auctioned off along with various silent auction items to raise money for the Cinderella Project.

Today’s bride may find herself on a tight budget therefore this is the perfect opportunity to save on her dream wedding dress as well as receive a tax receipt for the full sale value of the gown! Is there a better way to save on a wedding and support a local charity at the same time?

In addition to the auction, guests will have the opportunity to meet and check out products and services offered by local wedding industry experts including florists, jewellers, photographers, décor experts, salons, spas and more. Brides will also have the chance to try on the gorgeous gowns.

There are a limited amount of tickets available for purchase at: www.dreamdressauction.com for $15. Admission includes a gift, and a raffle ticket for a chance to win a $1,000 Dream Whistler Weekend Getaway as well as $200 in Sugarlime™ Jewelry.

DATE: Sunday, May 31, 2009
LOCATION: TELUS House - 768 Seymour Street, Vancouver
TIME: 1:00PM – 4:30PM
Entry: 12:30PM – 1:00PM

* Please note that due to security, there is a strict entrance period. Guests wishing to enter after 1:00PM will not be allowed in.

To learn more about the Cinderella Project, please visit: www.thecinderellaproject.com

For further event information, please contact: info@dreamdressauction.com

Engaged: Patrick + Amy on Granville Island

noreply@blogger.com (Pelaez Photography) — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 02:53:00 +0000

It's so easy to like Patrick and Amy. When I met them a year ago, I found it so easy to talk to them and got really excited discussing photography, as both are fellow photo geeks, and of course, talking about the wedding.

Shooting their engagement session was such a breeze. While the sun has continued to be elusive during our 2009 engagement sessions, it didn't matter. Amy and Patrick were just all smiles since the time we started at their place until darkness fell on us on Granville Island.

Here's a few to share with you...

With Rico out of commission for a few weeks, I shot this session with my awesome friend, Kristel. We found this cool van that matches Amy and Patrick's accent color for the wedding - chartreuse! I was half-expecting Scooby to pop his head out the window. Haha!

This image makes me so happy and giddy... aahhh... love!

Check out those laser-blue peepers!

Check out Kristel's blog for more photos of this gorgeous couple. Their wedding at the Diamond Alumni Centre in July is something that we look forward to!

Engaged: Craig + Kim in Vancouver

noreply@blogger.com (Pelaez Photography) — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 01:59:00 +0000

Just wanted to share a few shots from an engagement session I second shot for the super talented photographer and good friend, Kristel Wyman. You can check out more photos by Kristel on her blog!

Glam Portraits: Brenda on Commercial Drive

noreply@blogger.com (Pelaez Photography) — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 06:57:00 +0000

Before we scheduled the shoot for our Giving is Awesome (GIA) winner, Brenda, I wanted to meet her over coffee first to get to know the remarkable person that totally won us over from the nomination sent in to us by Deborah from Dress for Success. Even on our short conversation on the phone, I can already sense the great personality in her voice and the way she spoke. When we finally met at Starbucks, she's exactly as Deborah has described her and more. She's gorgeous, confident, strong, generous and kind-hearted. With my past experience as a volunteer personal shopper at Dress for Success, I understand the challenges and circumstances that the women who Brenda helps on a daily basis. These women are in such good hands with the support that Brenda gives them selflessly. She's come a long way from a situation similar to these women herself to now being one of the Board of Directors at Dress for Success in Vancouver. A real success story.

For the portrait session, we decided to keep it close to her home, Commercial Drive. I was so happy at how excited she was with doing the session and she certainly worked it for me and my second shooter, Gina.

How glamourous is she?

We were supposed to shoot with her 18-year-old son who ended up working that afternoon. But we still got some family portraits with Brenda and her dad.

Brenda, you are such a joy to photograph! I am blessed to have crossed paths with you. We hope we can do it again in the future with your son. We wish you continued success in your endeavours and blessings in life and love! :)

-gracci

Earth Hour 2009 - Vancouver BC Canada

noreply@blogger.com (Pelaez Photography) — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 06:53:00 +0000

You should know by now that on Saturday, March 28, 8:30pm, will be your chance to vote Earth, to vote to take action against global warming. For one hour, switch off your lights to join the world for Earth Hour.

Just a few images of Mikka taken last weekend using natural light...

And with her face lit by the iPhone. If you can, keep off of your phone and just enjoy an hour with your family and friends and connect with them personally.

And finally, a video about Earth Hour.

Ryan+Andrea Engaged!

noreply@blogger.com (Pelaez Photography) — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 07:06:00 +0000

2009 will be a really good year for us. I can feel it. While we try hard to improve our craft and run a sound business, we attribute a huge part of our success to our past clients who have willingly referred us to a good number of our 2009 clients. Andrea and Ryan are one of those referrals!

To officially start the year, we shot Ryan and Andrea's engagement session on a wet and miserable day in lovely Vancouver. Andrea was one of the bridesmaid at Jan and Jason's wedding last October. Ryan, on the other hand, plays the trumpet for the 12-piece afro-funk band Five Alarm Funk and we're really looking forward to shooting this wedding this June. We're sure it's going to be one sick party!

Andrea and Ryan are just the sweetest! We started out in a warm luxurious environment in downtown Vancouver then headed over to a grungy part of town while freezing in the rain! Either way, these two look good wherever, wet or dry that it was hard to choose from the many favorites on the set to share with you.

Now that they're warmed up from this e-session, we can't wait to push the images further at their wedding!

For now, here are a few faves from Saturday.

Andrea and Ryan, we wish we had more time for the session. Nonetheless, you kicked off our season really well and set the bar high for the rest of the year!

Mikka at TWO

noreply@blogger.com (Pelaez Photography) — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 09:25:00 +0000

I know you must be waiting for new photos on the blog. They're coming, they're coming... right now, we're enjoying every single minute with our little girl who is just growing up faster than we would have liked.

Here's just a few snaps at home this weekend...

She's already trying to read to herself. Here, she started every sentence in her story with "Sometimes..." At 2 years and 1 month, she can already tell if a book is right side up.

Hah! I'm sure our friends will tease us about how Mikka already knows how to pose in front of the cam. However, this was the rare moment that she actually listened to us and sat still for like 10 seconds! She actually couldn't care less about being in front of the camera, although I've already gotten her to look through the viewfinder, press the shutter and see the image on the LCD screen. I think she's already getting the concept!

Here, she's just being bratty.

Then crazy...

This time last year, she wasn't even talking yet. Now, oooohhh boy! She is such a talker! We just love hearing her voice around the house whether she's singing, screaming, laughing or whining!

Jaden, Early to the Party

noreply@blogger.com (Pelaez Photography) — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 07:36:00 +0000

I've really been ignoring this blog lately. We're just catching up with our friends and spending more quality time with family before the whirlwind of activities pick up again next month. In the meantime, one of our friends had her baby 7 weeks early due to complications that put the baby's health at risk in utero. I can totally relate to her situation as I had the same complications during my pregnancy. I was lucky that, despite the risk level of the situation being on the high side, I was still able to carry Mikka though 39 weeks.

Jaden was born at 33 weeks and is still under the great care of the NICU at the Royal Columbian Hospital in New West. Last Saturday, we dropped by for a quick visit to check on the new mom and to meet the little guy. I've never been to the NICU before nor have I ever been up close with a preemie. While we passed by a few really tiny babies, I was surprised to see how healthy and strong Jaden looked. If not for all the thingamajigs hooked all over his precious body, you wouldn't think him to be fragile.

Here are a few we took during that visit:

Feeding time!!!

Close-up of the handsome boy...

By now, Jaden's a week older and he's still got about 3 weeks to spend at the NICU. In no time, I'm sure we'll see him running around with the rest of the kids, including Mikka. We hope that when he's home and the weather gets better (no more snow, please!) we'll get a chance to do a proper portrait session with this angel.

Giving is Awesome Winner of Pelaez Photography Portrait Package!

noreply@blogger.com (Pelaez Photography) — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 07:56:00 +0000

I am obviously a day late in announcing the winner to our pledge to the Giving Is Awesome program. However, it does not make us any less honoured to have the opportunity to capture the spirit of Brenda Crump.

Before I get to our winner, we just wanted to thank everybody who sent in their nominations. We can only wish that we'll get the chance to meet each and everyone of you and your remarkable nominees. Your stories and your willingness to open up humble us.

Our winner, Brenda Crump, was nominated by Deborah Twocock from Dress for Success. Dress for Success is an international Not-for-Profit Organization dedicated to help women from low to no-income families to transition into the workforce by providing free services ranging from professional clothing, employment retention programs and continuous support to be successful in their chosen career and be self sufficient. This is such an opportune time to bring light to this great organization especially during these challenging economic times. We hope that you'll find time to learn more about the great things they do and how you can help in your local area by visiting their main website at http://www.dressforsuccess.org. If you're from Vancouver and would like to know how you can volunteer, donate suits, mentor women towards a successful career, or simply donate, please visit http://www.dressforsuccess.org/vancouver. If you believe you can benefit from the services that Dress for Success has to offer, please note that the organization works with women referred by 60 social services agencies located in the Lower Mainland as listed here: http://www.dressforsuccess.org/affiliate.aspx?sisid=72&pageid=15.

Here is Deborah's awesome e-mail and our introduction to Brenda:
Brenda now sits on the board of directors of DFS - having referred clients to us for over 9 years .

Brenda first heard of us when she herself could have used the service - a single mom, working part time in an employment bridging program on Commercial Drive. Instead of seeking the service herself though - she encouraged her organization to sign on and become one of our first referring agencies - giving up her own opportunity - to make sure that more and other women would have the chance. (You cannot refer clients to us and be a client at the same time)

Coming on to the board of Dress for Success was a huge step - her expertise and experience both as someone who had lived the life of a client, and as someone who has seen and helped women come through amazingly horrific situations - was much needed - yet here she finds herself in a room of powerful and well off veterans of the business world. How brave she is to set aside her own fears and offer to serve for the good of all.

Brenda’s Boy is now a teenager (a whole new set of challenges I am sure). They still live off the "Drive”, and she still works tirelessly to help women find beauty and strength in themselves.

On top of this - I am sure Brenda will make a brilliant photo - she is brown skinned with curly hair - and a huge smile with a space between her 2 front teeth. She is so very engaging; it would be interesting to see if her "heart" could be captured in an image.

We would be more than happy to photograph Brenda and we can only hope that we do capture her heart and show how much of a selfless and amazing person she is.

Brenda will get a 2-hour lifestyle portrait package with Rico and Gracci worth $1500 while Deborah gets $250 print credit.

Congratulations Brenda and Deborah! You are extraordinary women and we hope you continue the inspiring work at Dress for Success.

From the Vault: Gaie Paris 2005

noreply@blogger.com (Pelaez Photography) — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 20:37:00 +0000

I finally found some time to dig through some of our personal photos to pull a few from our 18-day Europe trip in 2005. Straight from our flight into the Charles de Gaulle airport from Vancouver, via Toronto, we hit the streets of Gaie Paris! The sightseeing didn't kick off to a good start. Soon after we settled in our hotel, we realized we had forgotten to pack our tripod! I remember scouring through the streets of Paris looking for a place to buy a cheap and lightweight tripod that was sturdy enough to bear the weight of our camera. After about an hour or so of wandering around, we finally found FNAC on avenue des Champs-Elysées and got the tripod, which I'm proud to say is very much a part of our list of gears that we use regularly as a small light stand. After that small snafu, we finally got on with serious sightseeing business by visiting the Eiffel, walking down Champs-Elysées and taking a relaxing cruise on the River Seine.

Day number 2 included a morning trip to Chateau de Versailles which was a little over an hour ride on the RER Line C from the city centre. After a quick lunch it was back to the city to Musee Rodin, then off to Hotel des Invalides. By 2pm, our feet were already crying for mercy... nevertheless, we marched on... And so, after half an hour's rest, we hied off to Montmartre to see the Basilique du Sacre Coeur and of course to see the Moulin Rouge for real. When darkness fell, we traveled 56 floors up Tour Montparnasse in 30 secs to catch another breathtaking view of the city of lights. On our way back to our hotel, we caught the nightly light show of the Eiffel Tower...

The plan for day 3 was to see churches, museums and monuments... we had a full day ticking off famous sites in Paris. We started our day heading to Notre Dame, tracing the footsteps of Quasi Modo. A few blocks away is the Cathedrale de Sainte Chappelle with its glorious stained glass walls. Then we were off to see the Cliff Notes version of Louvre and breezed through the last few minutes of Musee d'Orsay. We also took leisurely walks at Place de la Concorde and Jardin de Tuileries at sunset. When the City of Lights turned its switch on, we enjoyed the after dark view of Palais Garnier and took another view of the city's beloved Tour Eiffel. Our feet has already sustained permanent bruising by that time...

Here are a few images from the first 3 days in Paris:

The view from our hotel room...

in front of a Toyota poster... not quite a Paris sight... haha!

The Arc de Triomphe

View of the Eiffel on the Bateaux-Mouches boat cruise on Rive Seine.

The Thinker viewed through the telescope directed at Rodin's Gates of Hell

Musee Rodin

Hotel des Invalides with Napoleon Bonaparte's tomb inside

The Basilique du Sacre Coeur in Montmartre.

A gargoyle atop of Notre Dame...

The glorious Cathedrale de Sainte Chapelle

Love these metro signs that's reminscent of Old Paris...

A couple of photos of the Louvre...

And my favorite, Musee d'Orsay or M'O.

The Tour Eiffel up close...

From atop the Arc de Triomphe, we see the La Grande Arche in La Defense...

The Arc de Triomphe

When we went to Montmartre, our purpose was to see Sacre Coeur which sits on the highest point of Paris. At the same time, we wanted to use our vantage point to watch the City of Lights come alive at dusk and see it twinkle as if we're looking up (or down?) at the heavens. We were waiting on the steps of the basilica looking out, waiting for the sun's feeble attempt to linger over the city. When I looked back, I was awed by the rich, almost velvety blue hue hugging the church and took this shot.

On top of Montparnasse, the tallest building in Paris, we can see this view...

Opera de Paris Garnier or Palais Opera, designed for Napoleon III, in 19th C 2nd Empire Baroque style. This is the inspiration for the setting of Gaston Laroux's famous story, Phantom of the Opera, with its subterranean lake & chandeliers.

With our hotel being so close to the Eiffel Tower, we couldn't help but stop by every night. Honestly, I hate the light show which makes the tower look like a cheap plastic Christmas tree. This lighting is just perfect.

Our photography has evolved quite a lot since 2005. I look forward to coming back and see how we capture the city this time around with a different perspective and of course with different gears. We would probably focus more on capturing the lifestyle next time as we've already had our fix of the touristy shots... I definitely LOVE this place and we will certainly be back, hopefully sooner rather than later so... we'll see!

Lost Generation

noreply@blogger.com (Pelaez Photography) — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 04:43:00 +0000

I meant to post this awhile back. This video was created for the AARP U@50 video contest and placed second. Take a minute to watch it with your speakers turned on.

I will let it speak for itself.

Welcome Tucker James

noreply@blogger.com (Pelaez Photography) — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 08:29:00 +0000

Nothing is more fitting for a first gig of the new year than a newborn portrait session. We couldn't be more than happy to photograph Jeff and Camy's nephew, Tucker James. His parents, Todd and Carley, welcomed us in the warmth of their beautiful home to meet the handsome little guy. Going through the photos was a delight for us. Tucker had really great facial expressions that we had to be on our toes to click the shutter so we won't miss an expression.

Didn't I tell you he is handsome?

and knows how to get your attention!

A photo with Tucker's brother, Duke!

Some contemporary family portraits!

So far, most of our newborn clients get really excited on their portrait session. They forego their scheduled nap and are wide awake until they crash in the middle of the session! We finally get some great angel shots!

I love these candid but tender moments.

Welcome to a chaotic but wonderful world, Tucker. Just in time to celebrate a new age of "Hope Over Fear". With great parents, it'll be a joy ride!

Indie I do!

noreply@blogger.com (Pelaez Photography) — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 09:57:00 +0000

Still looking for that one detail to make your wedding unique? Nothing better to do than stress out on Saturday? Why don't you relax and check out "Indie I Do", the alternative wedding show bringing independent artists and unique-minded brides together. Click the image below for more info! We'll be dropping by and we hope to see some of you there!

Happy New Year!

noreply@blogger.com (Pelaez Photography) — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 00:41:00 +0000

Another year over. A year that has proven to be exciting and rewarding for us. We look towards 2009 with great anticipation - new clients, new experiences, new challenges and new relationships.

Just a few notes before we count down to the new year...

Giving is Awesome - we have received some really great nominees for this program. We are humbled by their stories and would love to hear more! We realize that it has been really busy with the holidays so we'd like to extend the deadline for the submission of nominees until January 30. We will announce the winner on our anniversary on February 1st.

Keep on giving - we believe in gifts that keep on giving. For the past 6 years, we have been purchasing holiday gifts via World Vision's Gift Catalog. For as little as $25, you can make somebody who is really in need look forward to a brighter New Year.

Happy GREEN New Year - even with planning a wedding, you can lessen your carbon footprint and ensure a bright green future for your family by going green. Here are a few tips: http://www.davidsuzuki.org/Climate_Change/What_You_Can_Do/green_wedding_tips.asp
Furthermore, you can extend this towards daily living by going carbon neutral.

2009 Commissions - we're almost fully booked for 2009! Contact us for our availability or just to say hi! We would love to hear from you.

That's it. Have a happy new year, everyone! See you again in 2009!

-rico and gracci

'Tis the Season

noreply@blogger.com (Pelaez Photography) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 09:42:00 +0000

*** UPDATE: The deadline has been extended to January 31st, our studio's anniversary, and the winner will be announced in February 6, our little girl's birthday!***

We cannot even begin to say how blessed we have been with our photography. Our clients are just super, the fellow photographers that we have met are incredibly generous and the experiences throughout this journey are rich! When we started clicking the shutters as Pelaez Photography, one of our mission has always been to give back to the community, the environment and to humanity, in our own little way. From the very start, we have already involved ourselves in organizations where we can fulfill this mission. We have donated our time for the Make-A-Wish foundation quite a few times (check out the Kaughman's who won the auction on one occassion) and we reach out on our own in any way we can as you can read in our last post on Jamie and Jessica's engagement session. We are always on the lookout on how else we can be true to our mission and we just found another opportunity to do so... read on.

Kristen Kalp, a fellow photographer from Pennsylvania, is challenging photographers from all over the globe to donate their time during these trying times. To date, over 330 photographers from all corners are donating over US$350,000 worth of portrait packages to worthy individuals via the program Giving is Awesome. And we're throwing ourselves in the mix.

The deets:
You know someone. You know someone who's experienced a tragedy, is struggling to stay afloat, is raising kids while holding down more than one job, or is volunteering selflessly despite extenuating personal circumstances. You know someone who can't afford custom photography, but who would cherish it this holiday season. You know someone who deserves a year-round reminder of their family's spirit, love, and beauty.

You know someone. We guarantee it.

We want to know who they are, and we want to give them the chance to experience complimentary custom photography -- $1500 worth, to be exact. Whether it's canvas or albums, prints for Grandma, or a slideshow to watch over and over, it's in your power to give them the artwork they deserve this holiday season.

Oh, and the best part? The person who nominates the winner receives a $250 print credit. What better reason to show some love could there possibly be, people?

The rules:

* You cannot nominate yourself, and the person nominated must sincerely be incapable of purchasing my services. (Being unable to make mortgage payments for a two-million-dollar-vacation-home in Paris does not qualify as sincere financial need.)

* The nominee must reside in the Lower Mainland. Tell me who you know, what they're experiencing, and why they deserve my artwork. Please include a way to contact both your nominee and yourself as well.

* You must e-mail us the full story : info@pelaezphotography.com

The winner will be announced on New Year's Eve -- get nominating! We can't wait to read all of your entries!

Open your heart to someone this holiday season -- and thanks for giving us the opportunity to open ours.

With love,
Rico and Gracci

Oh, here's another one from Jamie and Jessica's engagement session!

Jamie+Jessica Engaged!

noreply@blogger.com (Pelaez Photography) — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 12:12:00 +0000

Last July 9, 2008, an article that ran on Metro's front page told the story of Jamie and Jessica who were unfortunate victims of theft on their first day back from Cambodia. This would have just been any other story in Vancouver but it struck a chord with us when, upon further reading, we find out that Jamie and Jess had their cameras stolen, the cameras they used to make memories out of a great vacation and cameras they used to record the moment that Jamie proposed to Jess.

After talking briefly about it, we never thought twice about offering Jamie and Jessica a complimentary engagement session. While these photos will never replace that intimate moment on the lush beaches of Cambodia, we hope that it captures the essence of their love and relationship.

I LOVE Jessica's smile... so pretty!

This is SO cute!

Isn't Jessica gorgeous! I love her eyes!

Congratulations, Jamie and Jess! We hope that you have nothing but fantastic experiences throughout the wedding planning but most importantly, throughout the whole marriage.

lots of love,
rico and gracci